Vladimir Putin has lost yet another high-ranking official as one of his commanders has been killed in a Storm Shadow strike.
Reports have claimed that Lieutenant General Alexander Tatarenko, 63, was killed in an alleged attack on the Belbek airbase in Crimea involving a Storm Shadow missile.
Tatarenko was in charge of the facility that was struck and was used to launch strikes on Ukraine as part of Putin’s illegal war. Furthermore, the airbase was utilised to bolster Russia’s position in the Black Sea Peninsular.
Footage of the strike shows a damaged Russian communications and radar complex at the airbase and there are unconfirmed reports of damage to fighter aircraft.
Following the strike earlier this week, there has been no official announcement of Tatarenko’s death. Despite this, his death is now being reported on the social media platform Telegram.
Posting on the site, Spy Dossier claimed that “seven British-French-made Storm Shadow/SCALP ALCMs were launched toward the airfield”.
They said: “Four were shot down by air defence forces, three hit the target. “In particular, between 5.31pm and 5.42pm on Wednesday.
“Two missiles hit the command post of the 38th Fighter Aviation Regiment. Another hit the airfield communications point.”
The channel added that 10 military personnel were killed in the attack and that Tatarenko was among the dead.
Another channel known as Crimean Wind added: “Ten Russian military personnel were liquidated, including the commander of the aviation squadron, Lieutenant General Alexander Tatarenko.”
This isn’t the first time Britain’s Storm Shadow Missiles have been used to devastating effect since they were donated to Ukraine last year.
In a statement at the time, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said: “Together we must help Ukraine to shield its cities from Russian bombs and Iranian drones.”
The Storm Shadow missiles have a range of around 155 miles and can be launched from aircraft, enabling Ukrainian pilots to stay further away from Russian targets.
Since they were deployed, the missiles have been used to wreak havoc on Russia’s navy in the Black Sea, damaging submarines, and ships, and reportedly killing key personnel.
In October last year, Defence Secretary Grant Shapps warned: “With weapons like Storm Shadow, everywhere in Russian-occupied Ukraine, is on the front line.
The war is consuming weapons, ammunition and, yes, people at an appalling rate. If Ukrainians are to prevail against the evil assault on their homeland, we must remain steadfast.”
